'EC led by Vanish Kumars’: Mamata Banerjee fumes over SIR rule tweaks; CM says poll panel conniving with 'BJP khokababus'

KOLKATA: CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused Election Commission, which she said is being led by "Vanish Kumar babus", of conniving with "BJP khokababus" to delete the names of 1.5 crore voters in Bengal during the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.Banerjee was referring to claims by Bengal BJP netas that the SIR would purge the state electoral roll of 1.5 crore "bogus" voters. The draft SIR list, issued on Dec 16, has 58.2 lakh fewer names compared with the 2025 voters' list.Directing her sharpest attack at Union home minister Amit Shah, the CM said, "He is controlling everything, not the PM... He (Shah) controls the country."Addressing over 14,000 TMC booth-level agents at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Banerjee said BJP is using EC "to get its job done".

EC, she said, has changed SIR rules "22-24" times. "That means you are not sure yourself. He (CEC) is carrying out orders from that useless home minister. He (Shah) is morally corrupt and dictatorial. If rioters control the country, what can we expect?" she said.Stepping up her attack, Banerjee said, "The voters' list is being changed according to instructions from the BJP office. I have heard there is a BJP agent in EC's office.

The entire list is being made by BJP workers. I haven't seen such a shameless (chief election) commissioner."Accusing EC of using the SIR to delete the names of genuine voters, especially women, the CM said, "After marriage, women shift to in-laws' house. The names of those who have changed their surnames after marriage are being deleted. Why? They are genuine voters."Banerjee said the "Vanish Kumar babus of Election Commission and BJP agents" wanted to ensure large-scale deletion of names by ignoring the delimitation of constituencies in Kolkata in 2005 and 2009 and sticking to the voters' list prepared after the previous SIR in 2002 to map voters during the ongoing SIR."Did you (EC) even consider the delimitation after 2002? How will the address of a voter remain the same as in 2002 when his ward has changed (after delimitation)?" the CM said, slamming the SIR in Bengal as "unplanned".She said, "Many voters have their constituencies changed during delimitation. Earlier, Bhowanipore was part of Alipore constituency. New wards were added. This happened in several constituencies.

Voters' addresses have changed. The mapping process was incorrect and it was a blunder."The CM questioned EC's decision to send central govt employees as micro-observers for SIR hearings in Bengal. "Please gather information about them. Who are being appointed, which departments they work in and where they are posted. I need these details. I will help them. The EC did not consult the state before doing this. The micro-observers are Delhi-based BJP agents.

They have no knowledge of Bengal or its languages.

How will they conduct hearings?" asked Banerjee.She alleged that EC has put up roadblocks to prevent voters from tracing their names to the 2002 SIR list. "It has been observed that EPIC numbers of 2002 and the present EPIC numbers don't match. Is it not a criminal offence? It is unplanned, unconstitutional, undemocratic and autocratic."Explaining her statement, she said, "The names of parents of some voters have been misspelt to remove them from the voters' list. In Kolkata, the list is in English. How will poor hawkers, shopkeepers and marginalised people write or understand English? People have paid with their lives for this. Who is responsible? EC has taken away 46 lives. BLOs are not at fault. You (EC) will have to take responsibility for that."